Apparatus for developing copies



Sept. 8, 1964 w. LIMBERGER 3,147,686

APPARATUS F OR DEVELOPING COPIES Filed Sept. 19, 1961 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG] x2 ,1; Z W 74 75 r WALTER LIMBERGER a INVENTDR A G E NT p 3, 1954 w. LIMBERGER 3,147,686

-APPARATUS FOR DEVELOPING COPIES Filed Sept. 19, 1961 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 WALT ER Ll M BERGER INVENTOR AGENT P 8, 1964 w. LIMBERGER 3,147,686

APPARATUS FOR DEVELOPING COPIES Filed Sept. 19, 1961 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 lAllllAAAAllAAA u WALTER L! M BERGER [NI ENTER AGENT P 8, 1964 w. LIMBERGER APPARATUS FOR DEVELOPING COPIES 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Sept. 19, 1961 FIG. 7

WALTER LIMBERGER INVENTOR AGENT United States Patent M 3,147,686 APPARATUS FOR DEVELOPING COPIES Waiter Limberger, Hamburg-Poppenbuttel, Germany, assignor to Lumoprint Zindler K.G., Hamburg,

Germany Filed Sept. 19, 1961, Ser. No. 139,249 Claims priority, application Germany ept. 26, 1960 8 Claims. (Cl. 95-89) This invention relates to an apparatus for developing copies using developer liquid contained in a bath'container through which the material to be copied is passed, said bath container communicating through a siphon tube with a supply container disposed at a lower level than the bath container.

In known apparatuses of this type a pump is required for pumping the developing liquid into the bath container. If a pump is used for pumping the developing liquid from the rigidly formed supply container into the bath container,.it is possible to provide play in the pump, so that the liquid, after stopping of the pump, may return to the supply container through the siphon tube and the pump. This embodiment is rather complicated.

Furthermore it is known to arrange an inherently expandable flexible supply container for developing liquid side by side with the bath container and to connect this supply container with the lowest point of the bath container. The supply container is compressible by pushbutton means for displacing developing liquid into the bath container. After releasing the push-button means the supply container will expand again to receive the back flowing liquid. One drawback of this embodiment must be seen in the fact that a considerable amount of air also enters the supply container, so that the developing liquid will oxidize.

One object of the invention is to provide an apparatus in which the developing liquid may be transferred from the supply container into the bath container, and after completion of the process back into the supply container again without influx of air and with a minimum of operating expenditure.

Another object of the invention is to provide actuating means which are easily operable and instantaneously effective to feed developing liquid into the bath container, said actuating means adapting themselves automatically to such feeding of the developing liquid.

According to the invention the supply reservoir, which is disposed below the bath container, is connected with the latter by a siphon tube and is made of flexible and substantially nonelastic material, means being provided for compressing the supply container. By this it is accomplished that the developing liquid returns into the supply container after each utilization without any suction effect.

By the combination of the supply container, which acts as a pump, with a siphon tube by which the return flow of the liquid is controlled substantially without additional suction effect, not only is a simple construction provided which, for reasons that will become apparent subsequently, facilitates the use of known flexible packages as supply containers, but also the oxidation of the liquid is minimized.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention the supply container is either supported on, or depends from resilient means. These means may be tensioned allowing easy actuation beyond a dead center via, say, a

toggle device, the movement of which initially tensions the resilient means, whereupon these resilient means will subsequently displace the contents of the supply container into the bath container at a slower and more uniform rate of flow. By correspondingly dimensioning the resilient means it is possible, upon a quick operation of the actuating means (e.g. by a momentary pivotal movement 3,147,686 Patented Sept. 8, 1964 of a crank lever), to obtain an influx of developing liquid into the bath container which is substantially free from turbulence when considering the flow conditions in the siphon tube.

The embodiment according to the invention has the advantage that commercial containers for the developing liquid, or for solid ingredients from which the developing liquid is obtained by adding water, may be used if the supply container is arranged below the bath container, thereby providing the possibility of an upwardly directed compression of the supply container having its upper end formed with the siphon tube.

Additional advantages and features of the invention will become apparent from the following description of specific examples illustrated schematically in the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a sectional side view of an apparatus according to the invention taken along the line I-I of FIG. 2;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view along line IIII of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a partial sectional view illustrating a modification;

FIG. 4 is a partial sectional view corresponding to FIG. 1 but illustrating still another modified embodiment;

FIG. 5 is a partial sectional View taken along line VV of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a lateral sectional view of a further modified embodiment of the apparatus;

FIG. 7 is a partial top view of a further embodiment.

In all the figures corresponding reference numerals have been used for similar or corresponding parts.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2 the illustrated embodiment includes a casing 1 with a bottom 71 and a substantially horizontal partition 2 dividing the easing into two superimposed compartments. In the upper compartment the 'bath container 3 is arranged in which the development is accomplished. This bath container includes a guide-path arrangement 4, known per se, which starts out from inlet slots 5 formed in the wall of the casing, and a squeezingand-transporting-roller arrangement 6 below the outlet 7. Disposed at the inlet side within the lower compartment there is an exposure arrangement 8; a slot 9 provided in the casing is forming an inlet for this exposure means. The exposure arrangement comprises an exposure light source 72 mounted on the side walls of the casing which is fed from the drive and connection unit 10. The exposure light source is encompassed by a transparent cylinder 73, consisting for example of glass, which is partly encircled by elastic bands 74. These bands are guided over rollers 75, 76, 77 and partly around the cylinder for supporting it rotatably. These bands are driven by the roller 77. This roller 77 is driven in the direction indicated by the arrow by the drive and connection unit 10, which supplies current for the exposure arrangement and drives as well the other driven parts of the apparatus.

A supporting platform 11 is suspended in the lower compartment of the apparatus and disposed, for example, behind the exposure arrangement 8 (left-hand side of FIG. 1). This supporting platform 11 carries freely rotatable rollers 12, 13, 14 on its four corners. Two rope lines 15, 16 are guided over these rollers. One end of these rope lines is fixed for example on the par-tition 2 at 17, While the other ends of the rope lines are fastened on a shaft 18. This shaft is rotatably journalled in the casing 1 and extends with one end out of the casing.

On this end a crank 19 is mounted. Preferably a releasable locking mechanism 20 is arranged within the range of the crank which in FIG. 1 is formed by a ratchet Wheel 21 and a pivoting pawl 22. The ratchet teeth are directed in such a way that the crank 19 is freely rotatable in a clockwise direction for winding the rope lines 15, 16

' on the shaft 18, while a rotation in opposite direction is only possible after releasing the pawl 22. Instead of the ratchet arrangement other locking means, or friction brakes, or the like may be used which, since the required maintaining force is relatively-small, are constantly engaged, or are effective in one direction only, or are releasable selectively.

The partition 2 has openings through which the rope lines 15, 16 extend, or may be formed by a plurality of crossties spanning the supporting surface 11, the rope lines passing through the spaces between them.

The supply container 23 for the developing liquid is arranged on the supporting platform 11. This supply container comprises a tube connection 24 leading out of one side of the container. This tube connection is attachable to the siphon tube 25 which extends upwardly over the wall of the bath container 3, and then down into the bath container 3 terminating in a sump 26 thereof.

If the bath container is to be filled, the crank 19 is rotated in a clockwise direction, whereby the supporting platform 11 is lifted and the supply container is compressed against the partition 2. This causes liquid to be displaced through the siphon tube 25 into the bath container.

After release of the rcank 19, the liquid of the bath container 3 flows back into the supply container 23 which, due to this, will expand downwardly, whereby the supporting platform 11 returns to the illustrated position.

Preferably the lines 15 and 16 each are afiixed to a spring 27. By this arrangement it is possible to completely compress the supply container 23. Furthermore it is possible to provide a weight 28 on the supporting platform, as shown in FIG. 2 which, after releasing the crank, will pull the supporting platform downwardly. However in this arrangement a slight brake action on the shaft 18 is preferred, preventing a sucking action in addition to the siphon action.

It is to be noted that the supply container may easily be exchanged, for example through a lateral door 30 in the wall of the casing, in which it is merely required to accomplish the connection with the siphon tube, for example by a socket junction. Suitably the siphon tube comprises an elbow at the end connected with the supply container which is inserted into the supply container. It is also possible to hold the supply container as at 29, for exampleby a clamp, on the partition. If the supply container is permanently built-in, it may be designed in an accordion-like configuration. Preferably, however, a common commercial flexible container, formed from plastic material, is used and is delivered with correspondnig dimensions.

In FIG. 3 a supporting platform 38, the partition 2, and the supply container 23 are illustrated. The supporting platform 38 is guided in parallel guides 31, 32, maintaining its horizontal position in motion. Arranged on the supporting platform there is a thick layer 33 cf elastic, compressible material, such as sponge rubber, having a thickness of, say 1%". Below the supporting platform 38 a shaft 34 extends through the casing of the apparatus. This shaft preferably carries a pair of spaced parallel cranks 35 (one of which is shown) the outer ends of which carry freely rotatable rollers 36 for reduction of friction. The shaft may be rotated by an actuating lever 37 exteriorly of the casing. The crank 35 may be moved past a dead-center location into the position indicated by the dashed lines. In this position the actuating lever 37 engages the schematically indicated abutment 39. Since in this embodiment the crank 35 is rotated beyond its vertical or dead-center position the arrangement is atomatically locked.

By rotation of the crank 35 the supporting platform 38 is raised to the position indicated at 40, thereby compressing the supply container 23 and displacing liquid into the bath container.

According to FIGS. 4 and the supply container 23 is suspended on a crank 54 which may be rotated by the actuating lever 41. The crank can be moved to the downwarly directed position indicated by dashed lines at 55, in which position the crank engages an abutment 42 of the casing. In this case also a dead-center action is achieved. The supporting platform 11 for the bath container 23 is, for example, suspended on four springs 43, 44 and a frame 45. Between the arms of the crank the partition 2 extends, against which the supply container 23 is compressed. Upon pivoting of the crank shaft 40 via handle 41 the springs initially become tensioned and will then pull the supporting platform against the partition 2, thereby simultaneously compressing the supply container.

In FIG. 6, which shows a substantially similar construction of the apparatus as that of FIG. 1, the supply container 23 is disposed on the bottom of the casing. Arranged on the upper side of the supply container 23 there is a pressure plate which, for example, is retained on one end within a guide member 47. In this embodiment also a crank 48 is mounted on a shaft 49 extending transversely through the casing above the pressure plate. The crank may be moved by the actating lever 50 into the position 57 indicated by dashed lines, thereby pressing the pressure plate downwardly. In position 57 the crank holds itself due to the reaction forces, which are directed along the crank with no net component transversely thereto, so that any further latching or dead-center arrangement is dispensed with.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 6 the siphon tube must include, for example at 52, an elastic connection member, or must be formed by flexible hose, in order to be able to follow the vertical movements of the connection tube 53.

It is to be understood that also for the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 :a corresponding dead-center arrange ment for the actuating lever 19 may be used.

The commercial container advantageously need only contain the solid ingredients from which the developing liquid is prepared by mixing with water. After such a supply container is placed within the apparatus, and after completing the connection with the siphon tube 25 the required amount of water is poured into the bath container, whereupon by repeated compressing and releasing of the supply container suflicient mixing and completing of the developing liquid is obtained, without nea cessitating that the operation come into contact with the components of the developing liquid or with the developing liquid itself. 2

FIG. 7 shows a top view of a part of an apparatus in which the supply container 58 is arranged on the bottom of the structure. This supply container 58 has a circular shape. Arranged within the structure there is a pivoting shaft 60 fixedly disposed in a position extending parallel to the axis of the supply container, Wings 61, 62 of a tong being pivotally arranged on the shaft. The tongs includes members 63, 64 encompassing the supply container. Handle means 65, 66 extend through an opening 67 provided in a side Wall 68 of the structure and are actuatable from the outside. When the handle means 65, 66 are urged together the supply container is compressed by the members 63, 64. When the handle means 65, 66 are pressed together the ends of them may releasably be held together by a hook '70 connected by a pivot 69 with one member of the handle means.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the illustrated and described features but is defined by the annexed claims, which include changes and .modifications evident to those skilled in the art.

What I claim:

1. In an apparatus for developing copy, the combinavary its volume and provided with a restricted outlet;

conduit means interconnecting said outlet and said container for delivering said liquid to the latter upon compression of said reservoir and returning said liquid from said container into said reservoir;

actuating means including at least one arm swingably mounted on said housing for rapid displacement between operative and inoperative extreme positions and stop means for holding said arm in at least said operative position;

pressure means including a plate displaceable in said housing and operatingly connected with said actuating means while bearing upon said reservoir for compressing same; and

resilient means interposed between said actuating means and said reservoir while bearing upon said plate and being loadable upon displacement of said actuating means from said inoperative position into said operative position for gradually compressing said reservoir to dispense said liquid to said container while said arm is maintained in said operative position.

2. In an apparatus for developing copy, the combination with a housing provided with a fixed wall and a developing container mounted in said housing of:

a collapsible reservoir having a flexible wall for a developer liquid disposed within said housing below said container, said reservoir being compressible to vary its volume .and provided with a restricted outlet;

conduit means interconnecting said outlet and said container for delivering said liquid to the latter upon compression of said reservoir and returning said liquid from said container into said reservoir;

actuating means including at least one arm swingably mounted on said housing for rapid displacement between operative and inoperative extreme positions and stop means for holding said arm in at least said operative position;

a movable wall juxtaposed with said fixed Wall and operatively coupled with said actuating means for displacement toward and away from said fixed wall while bearing upon said reservoir, said reservoir being disposed between said walls; and

resilient means interposed between said actuating means and said reservoir and loadable upon displacement of said actuating means from said inoperative position into said operative position for gradually displacing said movable wall toward said fixed Wall while said arm is maintained in said operative position, thereby compressing said reservoir to dispense said liquid to said container.

3. The combination defined in claim 2, further comprising connecting means interconnecting said actuating means and said movable wall, said connecting means including spring means constituting said resilient means.

4. The combination defined in claim 2 wherein said arm is a lever fulcrumed to said housing and coupled with said movable wall, said arm having a dead-center position, and said stop means is engageable with said actuating means for preventing further displacement of said lever upon the shifting thereof from said inoperative position through said dead-center position into said operative position.

5. The combination defined in claim 4 wherein said fixed wall extends substantially horizontally and said movable wall is vertically displaceable relatively thereto, said actuating means further comprising flexible suspension means interconnecting said movable wall with said lever, said flexible suspension means including spring means forming said resilient means.

6. The combination defined in claim 2 wherein said resilient means includes an elastically compressible layer interposed between said movable wall and said reservoir.

7. The combination defined in claim 2 wherein said actuating means includes a manually operable member and said stop means includes releasable detent means connected with said members.

8. The combination defined in claim 2 wherein said conduit means includes a siphon tube of generally inverted-J configuration, said tube having a bight passing over a side wall of said container while terminating substantially at the bottom thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 969,217 Stewart Sept. 6, 1910 1,656,478 Geake Jan. 17, 1928 1,669,001 Geake May 8, 1928 2,478,228 Benson Aug. 9, 1949 2,747,480 Siemens May 29, 1956 3,062,123 Limberger Nov. 6, 1962 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,176,076 France Nov. 17, 1958 

1. IN A APPARATUS FOR DEVELOPING COPY, THE COMBINATION WITH A HOUSING AND A DEVELOPING CONTAINER MOUNTED IN SAID HOUSING OF; A COLLAPSIBLE RESERVOIR HALING A FLEXIBLE WALL FOR A DEVELOPER LIGUID DISPOSED WITHIN SAID HOUSING BELOW SAID CONTAINER, SAID RESERVIOR BEING COMPRESSIBLE TO VARY ITS VOLUME AND PROVIDED WITH A RESTRICTED OUTLET; CONDUIT MEANS INTERCONNECTING SAID OUTLET AND SAID CONTAINER FOR DELIVERING SAID LIQUID TO THE LATTER UPON COMPRESSION OF SAID RESEVOIR AND RETURNING SAID LIQUID FROM SAID CONTAINER INTO SAID RESEVOIR; ACTUATING MEANS INCLUDING AT LEAST ONE ARM SWINGABLY MOUNTED ON SAID HOUSING FOR RAPID DISPLACEMENT BETWEEN OPERATIVE AND INOPERATIVE EXTREME POSITIONS AND STOP MEANS FOR HOLDING SAID ARM IN AT LEAST SAID OPERATIVE POSITION; PRESSURE MEANS INCLUDING A PLATE DISPLACEABLE IN SAID HOUSING AND OPERATINGLY CONNECTED WITH SAID ACTUATING MEANS WHILE BEARING UPON SAID RESERVOIR FOR COMPRESSING SAME; AND RESILIENT MEANS INTERPOSED BETWEEN SAID ACTUATING MEANS AND SAID RESERVIOR WHILE BEARING UPON SAID PLATE AND BEING LOADABLE UPON DISPLACEMENT OF SAID ACTUATING MEANS FROM SAID INOPERATIVE POSITION INTO SAID OPERATIVE POSITION FOR GRADUALLY COMPRESSING SAID RESEVOIR TO DISPENSE SAID LIQUID TO SAID CONTAINER WHILE SAID ARM IS MAINTAINED IN SAID OPERATIVE POSITION. 